Don't Care
by Kermitfries
Summary: Ever wonder why Tyler is soft spoken and withdrawn? All roots are found in your environment -- even the ones you try to dig out and hide. Rated for child abuse.
1. Care

**A/N:** This is a prequel to Malleus Malificarum, but each story can stand alone. I dunno if this is a oneshot. I guess that depends on you, my good people. Sorry it took me so long to get this up.

**Summary**: Ever wonder why Tyler is soft spoken and withdrawn? All roots are found in your environment -- even the ones you try to dig out and hide.

**Disclaimer**: Evidently I don't own the covenant...go figure.

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Reid's father disappeared suddenly when he was fourteen. He always figured his mother assumed something bad had happened but he never pressured her, because secretly he didn't want to know. He kept to himself and let himself spiral down into a pit of blackness that somehow managed to appear comforting. His mother couldn't spiral into her own isolated depression and decided that a joyful vacation was in order. Except that vacation didn't, and never would, include Reid. Fearing that he might do something destructive when left to his own devices, she left him on the doorstep of the Simms.

The first week he didn't talk to Tyler. He stayed in the guest room all week, just laying in bed and staring off into space or sleeping. Tyler would bring him his meals and try to start small talk but Reid would shrug at his comments or offer one word answers. And then Reid met just who had replaced Tyler's father. Tyler's father had left his family for a life of secrecy two years earlier when the war had first started and his mother, heartbroken and betrayed, had promptly remarried a man of wealth and fame. Reid had gone an entire week without seeing this man.

But then he heard a thud and a muffled yelp and knew it had to be Tyler. He left the guest room for the first time in seven days and passed Danny Senate in the hallway as he made his way to Tyler's room. Reid knew nothing of Danny Senate, other than he was loaded. Tyler hadn't ever talked about him, but then again -- he never talked about his father leaving either. Tyler just didn't talk, and Reid should have been grateful that the boy even tried to speak to him.

Tyler's bedroom door was closed, and Reid pushed it open without knocking. Tyler was kneeling on the floor beside his bed, a bloody hand covering his nose and tears in his eyes. He flinched at the intrusive noise, wide eyes flickering up to meet Reid's. Reid knelt beside Tyler and reached out to him. "What the hell happened?" He asked, grimacing at the harshness of his words. He just didn't know how to be gentle.

"Nothing," Tyler muttered into his hand. He shrugged off Reid's hand and rose unsteadily to his feet. "I'm fine." But his voice was gruff and pained. Tyler tried to walk past Reid but Reid's hand shot out and gripped his arm.

Reid gently tugged on Tyler's arm and pulled him closer, Tyler reluctantly obliged. He lifted another hand and gripped Tyler's arm gently before pulling his hand away from his nose. "Shit, Tyler," Reid swore.

"I said I was fine," Tyler told him quietly, trying to pull away from his grasp but Reid wouldn't let go of him.

"Your nose is broken," Reid said. "Did -- it was Danny, wasn't it? He did this to you?"

"No," Tyler said quickly. He reached out quickly for Reid but the older boy was already heading for the door. "Reid, please don't," Tyler called after him. But Reid wasn't listening, so Tyler huried after him. "Reid, it's not a big deal."

"Nobody gets to hurt you, Tyler," Reid snapped, trying to shake Tyler's desperate hands off of him. "Nobody."

"Reid-" But Reid had already pushed open the door to Danny's office and stumbled in. Danny's head jerked up from the paper that litered his desk. Reid strode confidently into the room and stopped before Danny's desk. Tyler remained in the doorway.

"You did that to him?" The blonde demanded, throwing a hand, bloodied with Tyler's blood, toward the door. Tyler seemed to shrink away, but he never took his eyes off of Reid's figure. Reid Garwin had always been known as abrasive, outspoken and impulsive for as long as Tyler could remember. This went back to diapers. Reid Garwin was courageous and senseless at the same time. But recently, immediately following the death of his father, Reid's whole demeanor had quickly disintegrated. He was quiet and withdrawn. And obedient above all else. Tyler was sure that his mother enjoyed this new Reid, choosing to ignore the depression that was quickly devouring her only son. But Tyler frankly missed the old Reid. The Reid that would joke with him; the Reid that went out of his way to piss off Caleb. It just seemed so unnerving that the other sons of Ipswich chose to ignore Reid's drastic change of personality just as his mother had. This moment right now was the most emotion Reid had shown in the past month. And he was showing it for Tyler. Tyler always suspected that Reid cared but Reid hadn't ever been so obvious about it before.

Tyler jumped when he heard Reid's harsh voice, "Don't look at him."

Danny was on his feet suddenly. "How dare you order me around in my own house!"

"This isn't your house," Reid snapped. He didn't flinch, even as Danny round his desk and towered over him. "This is Tyler's house. Better start acknowledging that."

"Reid," Tyler began in a warning voice. But his voice didn't sound like Caleb's. Caleb had always been angry, for as long as Reid could remember. Recently Reid decided to cut Caleb some slack because Caleb's father had fallen quickly into addiction, right before Reid's father was murdered. But Tyler's voice sounded concerned.

Tyler had taken a tentative step forward but Reid held up a hand. "Don't, baby boy," he commanded quietly. "I've got this." And then Danny moved, and Tyler was sure that even he saw Reid's eyes flash. Danny's fist missed Reid's head by less than an inch. He stared at his fist, hovering beside Reid's head, dumbfoundedly. He was sure that Reid hadn't moved, and yet he was also sure that he couldn't have missed the boy's head, not when the boy was so close to him. Danny pulled back his fist and swung again. This time he missed by more than an inch and stumbled at the misplaced momentum. He stumbled into Reid and quickly turned the mistep into a rough shove.

Reid stumbled back and rubbed his shoulder. "That wasn't very nice," he commented quietly.

"Your father clearly failed to discipline his child," Danny sneered.

Tyler peered closely at Reid's face and saw the change of demeanor within the child. Before he had been mocking, laughing, but suddenly his body went rigid and he tensed. His smirk had vanished completely and was replaced by an empty expression that looked pained. "Don't talk about him," He advised. His voice had also changed. It sounded dark and held a dangerous edge.

Danny laughed at him and Tyler appeared beside Reid, tugging on his arm. "C'mon Reid. Let's just go."

"Listen to the pussy," Danny advised Reid. "Walk away before I break your legs."

Reid forced a condescending laugh. "You can't hit my face. I doubt you'd be able to touch my legs."

Danny's face darkened immediately and he ventured forward, quickly closing the space between him and Reid. Tyler seemed to shrink away but he didn't let go of Reid's arm. He still tugged on it, hoping to convey his desperation. The older boy ignored him completely and held his ground. But he never shook him off. Tyler's grip was numbing his arm and the boy's nails dug deep but he chose to ignore it. "Prove me wrong," Reid challenged.

Danny deliberately reached both hands forward and latched onto Reid's shirt. He jerked Reid forward and tried to seem intimidating. But Reid wasn't as easily terrified as Tyler. Danny lifted a fist and Reid's eyes flashed, but Danny didn't strike him across the face, instead he buried a knee savagely in his gut. Taken off guard Reid didn't have time to avoid the hit and gasped out in pain. A hand buried itself in Reid's blond hair and jerked his head back.

"All you need is a stern hand," Danny murmured, savagely twisting his hand in Reid's hair.

"Danny." Tyler's voice was quiet, barely a squeek, but Reid could feel him edging closer, clinging to Reid tightly.

"Shut up," Danny murmured quietly without looking at Tyler. "I never liked his sort," he added, once again addressing Tyler. "I told your mother to say no. I told her I didn't approve of this delinquent staying here." Danny shoved Reid down hard and Reid fell to his knees. Only Tyler saw the dangerous glint in his eyes, as his arm slipped from Tyler's grasp.

Reid cried out as Danny kicked him hard in the ribs and bit his lip as the older man kicked him again. Tyler's voice sounded distant yet the terror in it was loud and clear. He wanted to tell the boy to just 'chillax'. Tyler, of all people, should know what physical pain Reid could endure. Even at fourteen. Reid was just ashamed that he didn't know what physical pain Tyler could endure. How many times had Reid saw Tyler grimace or limp? How many times had he shrugged it off without even confronting his supposed brother? Tyler alway seemed to know when something was wrong with him...wasn't it Tyler who first noticed what Reid's father's sudden absence was doing to the youngest Garwin? Wasn't it Tyler who tried to get Reid to talk? And wasn't it Tyler who had been at the funeral, who had touched his shoulder and hugged him when he knew the boy was closer to tears than he had ever been?

It was Tyler's yelp and sudden movement that drew Reid from his silent scolding. When Reid glanced back up at Tyler he was grasping his nose again, fresh blood making his hands sticky. Reid grimaced and shoved himself to his feet. "Stop touching him," he commanded, glaring up at Danny. "Or I'll make you."

Danny laughed out loud. "Oh, really?" He asked. It was a challenge.

"Yes," Reid answered quickly. "Just stop hitting him and find somebody your own age to beat up on."

"They're never as fun as Tyler," Danny admitted. "They don't cry as much. Or beg. They fight back." Danny reached out a hand to cup Tyler's cheek.

Tyler flinched and Reid knocked away his hand. "That's fucked up," he added. "I'm going to Tyler's room," he warned softly. "I advise you don't follow us." Reid turned away from Danny, and gripped Tyler's hand tightly in his. He led the boy from the room and softly closed the door behind them.

"You shouldn't have done that," Tyler said almost immediately, as Reid, hand still grasping Tyler's hand tightly, led them up the stairs. "He's gonna be pissed in a few hours when he starts drinking."

Reid pulled Tyler into his room and softly closed the door behind him. "So?"

"So?" Tyler repeated. "So you don't have to deal with that," he hissed angrily. "When he gets drunk, I have to deal with it."

"Oh," Reid murmured aloud. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "You can't fix everything, Reid. You should've just left it alone."

"Oh yeah?" Reid asked, cocking his head to the side. "That sounds like a challenge, Simms."

"I-it isn't," Tyler stuttered. "Please don't do anything stupid."

A soft smile touched Reid's lips at the plea in Tyler's voice. "It's a little late for that," he murmured. "But he's not gonna touch you again, Tyler. Now sit down so I can heal your nose."

"I can heal my own nose," Tyler snapped.

An amused smirk crossed Reid's face but he didn't try to push it away. "You've never been able to heal yourself Tyler. Sit down."

Tyler sighed dramatically. "Fine," he grunted. "But only because I feel like it -- not because you told me to," he added as he sat down heavily on his bed.

"Right," Reid agreed as he knelt in front of Tyler. Reid had always been a quick learner, even if Caleb refused to acknowledge it. Reid embraced his Power, much like Caleb shunned it, and learned what he could do without actually learning spells. He could heal both himself and those around him quicker than any other Covenant member. Gomar had said that the human body was complicated and few grown witches could sucessfully heal themselves. But Reid already knew how.

He lifted a hand and let it hover in front of Tyler's face. He paused, surveying Tyler's actual face. Blood caked it and it looked paler than usual. His eyes were squeezed shut, alreadying mentally preparing himself for the inevitable pain that is the resetting of bones. Reid had healed Tyler more than any other member of the Covenant. But then again, Reid had also coaxed Tyler into doing stupid shit that usually ended in blood and broken bones.

Reid closed his own eyes and visualized Tyler's broken bone in his mind. He learned earlier on that the only way for him to sucessfully heal an injury was to visualize it, an act that came unusually easy for him. He saw the broken bone in his mind and slowly set about fixing it. He could vaguely hear Tyler shifting ucomfortably before him, soft grunts of pain escaping the younger boy. He pulled back and surveyed Tyler again. His face was still caked with blood but his nose wasn't swollen anymore, it looked normal. Reid couldn't keep the smile to himself and he felt Tyler glare down at him.

"I'm sorry, baby boy," he murmured. "I just amaze myself sometimes."

Tyler shook his head and rose to his feet. "I'm gonna take a shower," he announced and Reid shrugged, also rising to his feet. "Try to not do anything stupid in my absence."

"Try being the keyword?" Reid asked, cocking an eyebrow and flashing a grin. Suddenly Reid Garwin was how he had always been. Tyler narrowed his eyes at the thought that it took his own pain to force Reid out of his shell. "You know I'm just playing, baby boy. For you -- I'll behave."


	2. Preservation

A/N: thanks for the positive feedback. I'm not sure if this story is slash. Because I'm not sure if the other story is slash. lol I was actually tentative about writing a _knife called lust _because I hadn't ever written slash before. Like -- not rape slash. But when you see Tyler, how can you see him with anybody that isn't Reid? Can you say soul mates? I dunno -- there may be slashy things in this chapter. But I dunno if this is slash. Yet. But they're fourteen...so either way the most it'd go is kissing.

Trivia -- so I was watching King of the hill a few days ago. And it was the one where Joseph gets a football scholarship and his father forces him to go to spenser's academy (coincidence? hm hm...). And this kid's father's bragging to hank hill. And he says -- my son's going on a fancy boat with rich people. And Hank says - "Don't Care." I laughed, because he said it so nonchalantly. And when I was trying to think of a name for this story the following morning, my sister brought up that part again. And I laughed. And that's why I namd this that. So...it actually comes from humor and not angst. Just so you know...

So. You said you wanted a second chapter. And I know I'm a total bum -- I haven't updated any of my other stories, and I never update a story as quickly as I have this one so don't get grabby with it. But I was listening to some Boxcar Racer and this is what I wrote. It's not a complete chapter, I guess. Way shorter than I usually write. But I think it's adorable so I'm posting it. Tell me if you want a third chapter. PS: I'm reading this anthology of erotica...and the following quote is what I got from one of the chapters. I'm trying to improve the way I write sex...which is completely normal...

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_Like two mmamoths, tusk-locked in earnest sport at the edge of the advancing age of ice, we preserve each other_

_ - Leonard Cohen_

Tyler sighed loudly, peering tiredly at the closing credits to yet another movie. He was laying on his bed, his head sinking quickly into a pillow that he had to wrestle away from Reid. Reid was sitting at the head of his bed and watching the movie avidly, even after it was blatantly over. Tyler could feel the warmth from Reid's leg pressed hard against his arm. He was suddenly greatful that his mother had ignored his reassurance and bought a Queen sized bed, or else the proxmitity of Reid's body would have been suffocating. "Are you tired yet?" Tyler yawned, glancing up at Reid's bright face.

"I've been sleeping for a fucking week, baby boy," Reid told him cheerfully, the ghost of a smile lighting up his entire face. "I'm not tired. Could you like quit asking me that?"

"Fine," Tyler groaned. "What do you wanna watch next?"

"You don't have to stay up with me, Tyler," Reid told him, suddenly serious. Tyler blinked. Sometimes Reid's moodswings irritated him. "I can entertain myself," he said with a wink.

Tyler blinked. "I bet you can. What do you wanna watch next?"

"It doesn't matter, baby boy," Reid told him quietly. "You can pick the next movie."

"Gee, really?" Tyler asked him in mock appreciation. He rolled out of the bed and padded across the room to his rack of DVDs. They weren't all his. Even in the birth of their friendship, Reid still left shit at Tyer's house. He kept his most prized possessions in this room because he didn't trust them at his own house. Not where his mother could reach for them and throw them at his head in the heat of her anger. And he trusted Tyler. More than he trusted himself. Tyler scanned the rows in seek of a movie that he was familiar with yet with the possibility of holding his attention. He pulled out a classic that he was sure Reid had probably already seen. _Black Sheep_. He popped in the DVD (I'm not sure if DVDs would have existed at said time...but whatever...) and slid back into the bed.

"You sleeping in here?" He asked quietly, as he stared straight ahead at the opening credits.

A small smile curled the edges Reid's lips as he stared down at Tyler. "If you want me to, baby boy," he told him softly. The delicacy in Reid's voice was so uncharacteristic it tore Tyler's gaze from the credits to peer up at Reid. There was a softness to his features that seemed unaccustomed to the young Garwin.

"Really?" Tyler asked. His question came out in a whisper but if Reid noticed he didn't point it out.

"How come you never told me you had nightmares, Tyler?" Reid murmured. His tone and volume seemed to mirror the younger boy's. The background noise that had always been the movie seemed to disappear. All there ever was was the two Sons of Ipswich, locked into a quiet, yet seemingly important conversation.

"How'd you know?" Tyler asked him softly. His eyebrows had knitted together in confusion and something else. Shame? Worry? Embarassment?

"I heard you the other night," Reid told him. "I came to see what happened, but you were just asleep." He wasn't about to tell Tyler what he did next. He wasn't going to admit that he stayed with the younger boy the entire night, only slipping out sometime after dawn had broke and Tyler had started stirring. He'd stayed the entire night, sitting on the carpet indian style and watched the boy sleep. He wasn't going to describe how he'd ran his hand through the younger boy's hair, combing out the curls and whispering seemingly soothing words in an attempt to calm the boy. He wasn't going to dwell on the effects of his wispers, how they seemed to immediately calm the boy that lay before him. Even after the scare of the nightmare had initially passed, Tyler's face had stayed scrunched up in a pained expression. He didn't look peaceful when he slept. Tyler looked the worst when he was asleep, Reid had realized. This boy had been unusually calm for as long as he could remember. But when he slept, he was terrified. Helpless and lost in a sea of fear. "It'll get better," Reid told him. "We move into the dorms in a few weeks. And then you'll be away from...him. And after that...you'll never have to come back. _You _could go to Caleb's for holidays and crash at Pogue's for the summer..." Tyler picked up on Reid's use of the word _'you'_. He didn't include himself in that equation because they both knew that Reid's mother would never let him leave the house during the holidays or summer. She clung to him tightly and it was beginning to suffocate him. But he still tried to tell himself that it was just in the wake of his father's death. She was lonely and mourning. It'll pass. But even as he thought these exact thoughts he knew that it would never pass. His mother had experienced a very abrupt change, and it would never change again. She would always cling to him, always demand his entire focus, all of his attention. She wanted him and she didn't want to share.

"I'll be here until we move to the dorms," Reid continued quietly. "I'll make sure he doesn't touch you, Tyler."

"You shouldn't have to do that," Tyler bit out bitterly. His eyes darted away from Reid's and he stared back angrily at the television screen.

"Yes, I should," Reid argued solemnly. "That's what makes us friends, Ty."

"Friends?" Tyler repeated slowly.

Reid cocked his head to the side and fix Tyler with an unreadable expression that the younger boy tried desperately not to see. "What'd you think we were? Classmates? Acquantices? Brothers? We're more than that,Tyler. We're friends. Best friends. And as long as we're friends, nobody is going to touch you because I'm not gonna let them. Understand?"

"You promise?" The question slipped out before Tyler could stop it. He hated the thought of Reid defending him. It made him feel weak, vulnerable. But isn't that what he was? Didn't he get offended far easier than the older boy? Didn't he get hurt easier? Wasn't it Reid who already rushed to his aid, even without declaration? Could it be possible that Reid had been his friend for all these years and yet he still failed to see it?

A smirk distorted Reid's gentle features. "To the grave," he murmured softly. "Go to sleep, baby boy. I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere."


	3. Untouchable

A/N: I really appreciate those that review all of my stories. And those that don't. I appreciate those that review each chapter individually, and those that take time out of their busy schedules to review solitary chapters. Each review sparks new inspirations that have previously lain dormant. Each review helps.

Facts that I'll like to explain as to not confuse you --

A war started when the covenant we all know and love were thirteen. they were excluded from that war because their power was still very foreign to them and they'd all be liabilities. Within the next two years Reid's father was killed. Tyler's father went AWOL. And Caleb's father succame to addiction. Then the witch hunters disappeared for five years without taking out Pogue's father. Therefore Pogue's father is the only active member of _his _core covenant.

In this story Tyler and Reid are both fifteen. It's a few months after Reid's father has been killed. Tyler's father disappeared two years ago -- right after they turned thirteen. So I guess they're closer to fifteen, but they're not gonna turn fifteen in this story. Caleb and Pogue are fifteen, though. There's obviously a special bond between Reid and Tyler. Reid has taken him under his wing...I don't know why. But I think that's adorable either way. There's a rift between Reid and Caleb, and the covenant, even at this young age, is divided into two halves. This is my explanation as to why Tyler has chosen to be within Reid's half. This is why he would travel to any length in which Reid wishes to without asking so much as one question. This the beginning of their strong bond, not as brothers, but as friends. They choose each other, not because they need eachother, but because they want eachother (...in a nonsexual way...right now..) Caleb and Pogue aren't in this story right now, they may never be. This is just a side story that takes place a few weeks before the two younger sons move into their dorms. So this is a few weeks before their sophomore year.

If you have any questions -- feel free to ask.

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Reid jerked awake instantly. He'd heard something, but gazing out into the darkened bedroom didn't reveal much. It wasn't his own room, and for the past week he'd awakened in the guest room, uncomfortably disoriented. Yet here in this room he knew immediately that he was in Tyler's bed. He'd fallen asleep during _Mall Rats, _his head perched precariously close to Tyler's on their single pillow. Tyler's body had been warm and suddenly he was cold. He'd awakened in the middle of the night everyday of the previous week shivering, but the light peaking through the blinds told him that it wasn't night. He'd slept until morning, but Tyler was gone. Even beneath Tyler's thick blanket he shivered. And then he heard it again, a faint thump that sounded precariously close. "Tyler?" He called out uncertainly.

There was a soft laugh and then Danny materialized out of the darkness and Reid tensed. "You don't look so confident now," Danny murmured as he drew closer to the bed.

Reid suddenly felt naked, dangerously exposed. The blanet pooled around his waist, his bare chest exposed. He had fallen asleep in his jeans, but the feeling refused to leave him. "What do you want?" He asked quietly, his voice suddenly wary.

"I saw you with Tyler last night," Danny murmured. "You two sure looked real cozy, clinging to each other like your lives depended on it."

Reid cocked his head to the side like a confused dog. Did this random dude just call him gay? The thought alone made him want to laugh, but instead his voice came out in a dangerously low whisper. "Bet you liked that."

Danny's darkened face split into a sardonic smile before it disappeared altogether. He was unbarably close now and Reid shifted uncomfortably lunging into a sitting position. He felt a calloused hand on his chest, pushing him, with surprising strength, back down onto the bed. He permitted a growl of frustrated in the back of his throat. "Don't even bother, Garwin," Danny advised, his hand pressing hard against the pale skin. It hurt but Reid ignored it. "I know _what _you are."

"Whatever," Reid grunted. He'd tried to use the same voice he used when the Provost tried to get through to him, but it didn't quite sound as careless. Because he cared. Such a foreign feeling, it was threatening to suffocate him. _So this must be how Tyler feels all the time, huh?_ So he decided to try a different tactic, one that he hadn't quite perfected yet, but it was all in the works. "Get your hand off me or I'll break it." He was slightly satisfied with the threat veiled loosely in his hiss.

Danny forced out a rueful laugh that echoed through the dark room. "I know _what _you and Tyler are. Do that shit that you did last night again and I will do worst than what I've been doing to the bastard. I. Will. Sell. Him. Out."

Reid wanted to force out a laugh but the sound died in his throat. "Whatever," he repeated slowly. "You'd sound like a fucking psycho, but go right ahead."

Danny shook his head, a sadistic smirk twisting his face. "Not if I've got proof."

"But you don't," Reid countered almost immediately, staring hard into Danny's cold eyes.

"I've been studying Tyler for a long time," Danny purred. "I've got enough proof."

"That's impossible," Reid hissed. He felt the urge to sit straight up but Danny's hand held him firmly in place. "Tyler doesn't Use."_ It scares him_. "Not like --"

"I didn't get the proof from Tyler," Danny assured him. His voice was disgustingly calm, taunting. He had a smirk on his face that Reid wanted to physically remove. "if you try that shit that you did last night, I won't even take it out on you. Got it?"

Danny was leaning over now, shifting his weight onto Reid's chest and the boy squirmed beneath him, biting back the grunt of pain. "What the hell are you doing here?" Reid's head snaped up to see a form outlined in the light of the hallway. And then the bedroom light flashed on and he saw Tyler clearly. The boy's hair was wet, lying limp on his forehead, his clothes seemed bigger than they ever had before. His shirt was unbuttoned, his bronze chest slightly exposed. His dark boxers peaked out of his jeans. But what Reid's eyes were drawn to the most was his face. There was an expression on his face that Reid hadn't ever seen before. He looked pissed. Reid's eyes flickered to Danny's face but Danny wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Watch your language," Danny murmured. He didn't even sound angry, and Tyler picked up on this quickly.

"No," he said quickly, striding forward into the room. "Get away from him."

Danny's eyebrows shot up, and his face slowly began to twist into something that resembled anger. "Or what?" He challenged, his voice dangerously dark.

Reid shifted beneath him, forcing himself to grasp the older man's arm before he could put any more weight onto his chest. "Don't," Reid told him softly.

Danny glanced down at Reid, his eyes dangerously dark before he glanced back at Tyler. "Say, kid, I thought I felt your nose break last night. Last time I broke it, it was sollen for days." Reid glanced back at Tyler, tilting his head slightly. Tyler had told him he'd broken his nose from falling out of a tree. It was just a white lie to protect a hefty secret, one in which the boy was ashamed of, but it was a lie nonetheless. Reid didn't like the idea of Tyler lying to him, and he couldn't understand why. Didn't he lie to Tyler too? Didn't the resident bad boy lie at every chance he got, even when it wasn't necessary? No. Not to Tyler. Tyler was different. "It sure looks good as new now though," Danny continued, cutting sharply into Reid's thoughts. "_What's your secret_?"

Reid could see the change in Tyler's face, how the anger quickly dissipated. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, confused yet alarmed at the same time. "What?" He choked out, glancing over at Reid who was currently glaring at the side of Danny's face.

Danny's gaze broke from Tyler's to stare back at Reid. "Fine," Reid snapped, shoving Danny's arm off of him. Danny complied and took a step back. The blond rose quickly from the bed. "Fine," he huffed again before striding toward the door. "It won't happen again," he added as he hooked his arm in Tyler's and dragged the boy through the door. The younger boy followed without complaint, holding his comments until Reid ushered him into the guest room. Tyler's eyes were questioning, but he remained silent underneath Reid's scruitinizing gaze. "You lied to me," he finally murmured. His voice was unusually soft, and Tyler heard something within that voice. He sounded hurt.

Tyler was quiet for a moment. He hadn't ever intended for Reid to find out at all. He didn't have a cover story that he could just spin. But above all else, he hadn't expected Reid to be so affected by all of this. "Humans lie, Reid," he replied defensively. "It's not like you haven't ever lied to me."

"I haven't!" Reid hadn't meant it to come out quite like that, not a shout, not with so much emotion. He took a deep breath and turned away from Tyler, walking slowly further into the room. "You've been living with that man for two years, Tyler," he told him softly, but he couldn't bring himself to turn around. He wasn't sure if he could stop his face from revealing just how upset he was. "And you didn't trust me enough to tell me what was happening to you. I told you everything, and you couldn't tell me something like this. Do you even know how that makes me feel?"

Tyler swallowed hard. He didn't know exactly how Reid would feel. Sure the two had been close; sure Reid did enjoy Tyler's company. Sometimes it seemed as if the boy was endlessly bored or lonely. He seemed to cling to Tyler in a way that escaped the notice of everybody else. Nobody assumed that it was Reid who called Tyler to hang out, or that it was Reid who begged Tyler to see the new movies in the local theater. It was Reid who asked Tyler to play pool, and it was Reid who didn't make fun of the younger boy when he lost every time. Tyler just hadn't ever noticed how much the older boy put into their relationship.

"Look, Reid," he began slowly. Any other person would have probably cut in, floored by their own anger. He'd seen Reid argue hundreds of times with Caleb, too angry to listen. But this time Reid just stood silent, breathing deeply, trying for the first time in his life to control his anger.

Tyler fell silent and Reid shook his head. "Whatever," he muttered. And then he slowly turned around to face the brunette. "Your father knows about the Covenant. That's what we were talking about."

Tyler was quiet for a moment, his face surprisngly blank. Reid didn't like the idea of not being able to read Tyler, it felt wrong. "How?" His voice was quiet, but neutral. Why did it seem like Reid was more concerned about the situation than Tyler? He couldn't ever remember being this concerned about something in his entire life. And wasn't it Tyler who always got worked up -- when Reid used too much, when he skipped, when he fought. To be so emotionless was alarming, to say the least.

"That's not important, now is it?" Reid snapped. "What's important is...what are we gonna do about this?"

Tyler shrugged and walked past Reid. He slowly sank down onto the edge of Reid's bed, ignoring the heated gaze he was receiving. "What can we do?"

"I...I don't know," Reid spat bitterly. Caleb had told Reid it was he who was bound to expose the covenant. Reid had ignored him, but inside he knew he was probably right. Caleb was always right.

"Maybe we should tell Caleb," Tyler offered. His face was calm, his voice smooth. Reid frowned. Tyler assumed he frowned because ...well Reid was known for disliking Caleb all he stood for. Tyler didn't know the cause behind the tension between the two, but it was something Reid refused to delve into. They just weren't friends, like he and Tyler or he and Pogue were. Reid rarely joked with Caleb, and he'd rather die before calling the boy for help. But Tyler didn't care. Caleb was their unofficial leader. And they were in trouble. "He'd know what to do," he added.

"Of course he would," Reid countered. "Caleb knows everything. He's so fucking smart. He should have his own religion."

"What else can we do?" Tyler demanded.

"Uh, wipe his memory," Reid answered in a 'duh' tone.

"Uh, that magic's forbidden," Tyler countered, mimicking Reid's voice. "Not only is it forbidden, but it's enough to get us exiled. Or give them cause to bind our Power."

"I'd rather be exposed," Reid agreed quietly. "So what the hell are we supposed to do about this?" He asked. His voice sounded tired, yet somehow angry at the same time.

"What can we do?" Tyler repeated.

"We're not telling Caleb," Reid murmured in a tone that told Tyler the topic wasn't up for discussin. "We'll just ride it out. Do what the bastard wants us to. If it gets worst then we'll do something about it. We're fucking witches. We're untouchable."

"For centuries witches have been killed," Tyler told him quietly. "I'm pretty sure we've never been untouchable."


	4. Shattered

**Warning**: SEX. Rape. Nonconsensual. This is the big bad of Reid's past. Tyler is not in this chapter.

_**A/N**_: I started this side story to explore the abuse of Tyler's past that is hinted at in Malleus Malificarum. That means that this isn't an exact play by play story. Chronologically -- it's sound. It happens in order. But scenes are missing. In the first three chapters, maybe I didn't stress that. So if the chapters seem abrupt, they're supposed to. This is SEX. You don't get to see why it happens or what leads up to it. All that matters is that it happened. It's supposed to be sudden. I understand that a little of the wording may be confusing and broken. It's supposed to be like that. Not all the sentences are supposed to convey complete thoughts.

PS: I know I may be hinting at Reid's own sexuality. But I don't intend to make Reid gay. Because he isn't attracted based on appearance, female or male. And he's fourteen - love is love. It's called pansexual.

Please review J

--

_You write such pretty words. But life's not a story book._

_Love's just an excuse to get hurt. And to hurt. Do you like to hurt?_

_I do - I do - then hurt me…_

The hands were rough, grabbing, bruising. A yelp escaped his parted lips. He felt the cruel smirk twist against the skin of his neck. The hands were roaming, shoved up his t-shirt, dragging across pale skin; skin yet to be significantly affected by puberty. Fourteen. Reid Garwin knew exactly what the hands were doing. He knew what the man was doing. Exploring his chest, pinching his nipple hard enough to tear another yelp from his chapped lips.

Reid writhed, squirmed, tried desperately to pull away. He'd read magazines, scanned his father's files on the computer. He knew what sex was. He knew all the many things two people could do together. A man wasn't supposed to like another man. That's what he told himself when he stared too long at Tyler. That's what his father told him, when he'd come home. If he came home at all. Drunk. That's what his father said when the man would fumble with his shirt and shove him against the wall. His breath thick with alcohol, his mouth real close to Reid's face. Reid never asked him why, what the man could possibly be referring to. He hadn't ever wanted to know. It'd be years before Reid would even consider the possibility of homosexuality being hereditary.

Reid knew two men were not supposed to touch like this. Not how he and Danny were. The hands, bigger, thicker, hairier than his own, gripped his hips roughly and shoved him harder into the mattress. The lips, hard and unkind, pressed against his neck, his collar bone and then his lips. Reid gasped. The body was too big, too heavy, suffocating -- close. He wanted to cry but even in the back of his mind, he knew he shouldn't. He couldn't abandoned his pride or his dignity. Not now.

He knew what kissing was. He'd already benefited from it. He knew how good it could feel, even if it had only been behind the bleachers with a girl three years older than him. He knew that Danny was definitely not doing it right. Because it certainly did not feel good. A hand gripped his hip hard enough to force another gasp from him, and Danny shoved his tongue into Reid's gaping mouth. The tongue was thorough, rough, as it scoured his mouth. It didn't feel good and Reid gagged on the foreign object forcing itself halfway down his throat. His body heaved and convulsed and he shoved harder against Danny's chest, desperate.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Reid knew that he'd told Tyler he wouldn't use on Danny, not any more. And he hadn't. For an entire week, he hadn't Used at all. It didn't even phase him, because he could go weeks without using, if Tyler wanted him too. If Tyler looked at him, and asked him, in his quiet, nearly pleading voice. Reid could do anything if Tyler used that voice with that face of his. He wasn't going to Use on Danny, but it was supposed to stop. They were supposed to just deal with him and his malicious attitude toward them. It wasn't supposed to escalate.

Reid had returned to his guest room, even though Tyler hadn't wanted him to. His room was still bland. The walls were white, bare. The floor was clean only because the maid was thorough. His bed had been made, when Reid had gotten out of the shower. His bed had looked real nice, even he could acknowledge that. Every day. If fact, he had been acknowledging that, until those hands had wrapped around his arms from behind and literally shoved him onto the perfectly made bed.

Danny pulled away and inhaled deeply. The naturally pale face of Reid Garwin was beat red. The normally stoic boy was breathing hard and unable to glare. He was too scared to glare. Too terrified to be rightfully pissed. But Danny waited. He waited for what he knew would inevitably come. Reid managed to pant out a 'what the fuck' and Danny's smirk stretched itself tighter across his face.

"I think the best thing for you to do is relax," Danny said softly, soothingly placing a hand against Reid's unruly blonde hair. The hair was wet, messy and darker than usual. Danny gently brushed the hair out of Reid's wide blue eyes. "Maybe you'll even get to enjoy it a little."

"No fucking way," Reid snapped, bucking his hips in an attempt to throw Danny off of him. "Get. Off."

"Shhh," Danny murmured, pressing a finger against Reid's lips. "Julie is at the store. You know how women are with their material needs. She won't hear your screams."

"Tyler --"

"Is at a family convention that you were obviously not invited to," Danny murmured, nuzzling his nose against Reid's neck. The blonde shuddered at the touch and Danny's smile grew. "It seems they think you're a bad influence. A real rebel. I've wanted to do this for a while, Reid. Ever since I saw you and Tyler in bed." a hand trailed up the inside of Reid's thigh and he jumped. "Are you and him --"

"No!" Reid snapped. "Don't fucking touch me. Get off!"

"Oh I intend to 'get off,'" Danny murmured. A tongue darted out and he licked a thick strip of Reid's neck. The boy convulsed and squirmed harder beneath him. No fucking way. He was a virgin and there was just no fucking way this man was going to steal that before he was ready. There was no way he was going to steal that at all. "Keep moving and it may happen a lot quicker than I intend."

"God," Reid growled, but he stopped moving. "Why can't you be like the rest of them?" He demanded. Danny lifted his head in his surprise. But Reid refused to meet his gaze. A concept that he hadn't even thought of hit Danny so hard he froze. He hadn't ever been that psychological. Sure, he wanted to break Reid. He wanted to con the unruly kid into terrified submission. He wanted to force Reid to become something he wasn't. Danny knew exactly what would happen if he were to rape Reid instead of just hitting him. But this was new. This was perfect. Not only would he rape the boy, but he would study him. Toy with him. Get inside of his head and then completely destroy him. "Why can't you just hit me and then go away?" It was mumbled and Danny almost missed it.

"Because I've already got a punching bag," Danny purred. "And you're…pretty." Reid wasn't prettier than Tyler. That look that Tyler always got when Danny held him down was priceless. He hadn't ever gone further than that, but Danny knew that Tyler suspected his intentions. Tyler had to know something, when Danny just held him, roughly, against the floor or wall. When he stopped moving and just stayed like that, softly inhaling Tyler's unique scent. He always pressed their bodies real close, maybe Tyler could feel his erection pressing against his thigh. That look, terrified and confused and anxious, is what made Tyler beautiful. Reid wasn't as pretty as Tyler, but he would do for now. "You need to be violated, Reid. Be good and I won't hurt you much."

"Ugh," Reid grunted, writhing desperately beneath Danny. "Please," he forced out through clenched teeth. That was the first step. Begging. Danny roughly unbuttoned his jeans. He could feel the boy trembling and it was utterly delicious. "Don't do this. Don't --" Reid's voice broke off when Danny managed to wiggle his hand into his jeans. "No! No, please! Get off!"

"Soft," Danny murmured as he loosely fisted Reid. "You really don't like being touched like this?" His thumb skimmed over the head and Reid hissed. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to pull away but Danny was still there, so fucking close. "You want this," he told Reid.

"No. I don't," Reid shouted at him. "Get off! Get off! Get-"

Danny's fist, previously fat, meaty, seemed bony as his knuckles cracked against Reid's cheek bone. That was good. Pain was good. And that noise that escaped Reid's lips upon impact, both surprised and hurt was absolutely beautiful. Before Reid could recover, Danny pulled his arm back and punched him again. His thumb skimmed over the head of Reid's dick and he received another jolt from him. The blonde didn't know what the fuck to do. The way Danny was touching him was good. It felt good. Almost so good that he could hardly feel the throbbing of his cheek. A cheek that was a darker shade of red than the rest of his face. A cheek that would remain that shade of red, even after the blood had drained from his face and returned it to the pallid complexion it'd always been.

Danny splayed his fingers out across Reid's throbbing cheek and the blonde flinched. Second step. Fear. The flesh of his cheek was hot and Danny stroked it. Reid turned his head away but it didn't matter. Danny was still stroking his cheek, and his dick. Danny was almost animalistic, how he tore Reid's clothes off. He was merciless because he didn't waste time preparing his new toy. Instead he pressed his hardened member against Reid's asshole and buried himself to the hilt in one quick thrust.

Reid's lips parted and a scream tore from his mouth. He was nearly silenced when Danny covered his mouth with his own and thrust his tongue down Reid's throat. The thrusts were brutal, quick, merciless. Reid screamed into Danny's kisses as the sound of skin slapping skin echoed through the room. Danny didn't pull away, even when he felt Reid's fists shove against his chest feebly, desperately; even when he could feel Reid heaving beneath him, desperate for fresh air. And then he pulled back, not away, just far enough to see Reid completely, panting and looking absolutely delectable. On several occasions, Danny would duck his head closer and lick a fat, long trail up Reid's sweaty neck. And then the boy would tremble harder, because Danny was still thrusting roughly into him. He was still holding Reid down, fat fists enclosed around Reid's bruising wrists, pinning them hard against the bed. Reid was already bleeding. The tears were cold against his flushed cheeks. When he opened his eyes, something he tried not to do, Danny's figure was blurred beyond recognition. He couldn't see the smirk crudely twisting Danny's lips or the evil glint shimmering within his dark eyes.

Sperm mixed with blood when Danny came inside of Reid. It was all so quick and yet it couldn't have taken longer. He could hear it all in his mind; his spirit breaking, shattering into billions of pieces. And then Danny collapsed, Reid too raw to notice that the older man hadn't even pulled out. He turned his head away, stunned, disgusted. Disgusted because the lips, softer now, were still moving against his sore neck. The hands had released his wrists but Reid was too exhausted to move so his hands remained beside his head. Danny's hands slid from Reid's wrists to his blackened hips and gripped him tightly, forcing the two bodies unbearably close together. He was stunned because he had been to exhausted to stop him. Stunned because the Power hadn't even occurred to him. He'd had a loaded pistol and he'd forgotten all about it.

"Get off," Reid mumbled, shifting uncomfortably beneath the heavier body.

"Just another minute," Danny murmured against the hollow of Reid's neck. "I knew you were a screamer…"

"I knew you were a faggot," Reid hissed in turn. "You sick sadistic fuck."

Danny chuckled against his neck, but the hands on his hips tightened and he gasped. "Tyler knows when to shut up," he said thoughtfully. "He knows better. He knows not to provoke me. Or it could be worst. You've done nothing but provoke me, kitten. And you got worst than him. Do you really want it again?" Danny shifted against Reid and the movement sent new waves of pain across him. He gasped loudly and Danny chuckled again. "And again." Another shift. "And again. Is that what you're asking for? You want me to fuck you so hard you'll never be able to walk again? Just shut the fuck up, that's all you need to do. Shut the fuck up, and wait for Tyler to come back and clean up your mess again."

"Fuck you," Reid seethed. "Get the fuck off me." He writhed beneath Danny, a bad move on his part, because Danny was still inside of him. And he was in a lot more pain than he'd first realized.

Danny groaned at the movement and pressed harder against the teenager. "Keep moving like that and I'll be hard enough to fuck you again." To emphasize, he jerked his hips in a half hearted thrust and received a choked gasp of pain from Reid. Danny smiled at him, and lowered his head back onto Reid's chest. And Reid didn't stop him.


	5. The son of all bastards

A/N: My muse died a little toward the end, so I'm sorry if it sounds terrible. I danced around the idea of how Tyler would find Reid for a while -- hence why it took me so long. But then I started writing and this is what I came up with. It's a ton of feelings and absolutely no action - barely any dialogue too. But this story is supposed to be a filler piece anyway. Feelings are what makes us who we are and…well I'm supposed to be explaining who Tyler is. I understand that this story has also turned into Reid but…really now -- how can black be black with the contrast of white beside it? Please! Review. I'm in need of some inspiration. And not just inspiration, but I've been feeling crappy lately, and I'm sure your lovely reviews will improve my mood. Please!

A walking disaster

The son of all bastards

You regret you made me

It's too late to save me

----

Tyler watched numbly as Reid sat, hunched over, in a cooled bath of red water. He was shivering but Tyler stopped himself from reaching out. He could only stomach Reid flinching away from him so many times until his eyes began to burn and prick with unrelenting tears. Hair, now blond after Tyler had insisted on washing it, clung heavily against his pale scalp, cheeks and neck, obscuring his vision but he didn't want to stop it. He didn't want to see anything anymore. His knees pressed hard against his chest, and his arms trembled as they held that position. It hurt to sit but he was too tired to move. The pain had dulled considerably, but it still lurked there, in the back of his mind - more so an emotion as opposed to a state of being. He wasn't in pain, he was hurt, two very distinct feelings.

Tyler's knees hurt more each time he shifted. It'd been nearly an hour, and Reid hadn't moved, not since Tyler had gently forced the blonde into the bathtub. He had flinched violently when Tyler turned on the shower, but since then he'd remained motionless, his cheek pressed gently against a pale knee. Tyler didn't move, instead he remained knelt beside the tub, his face contorted into a foreign mask of terrified concern.

Danny was abusive, they both knew. Tyler knew the man was sadistic on levels he hadn't previously experienced before. He knew Danny liked controlling him. His own father had been so soft that he hadn't even considered such a scenario, even when Reid's relationship with his own father turned sour. Parents were supposed to be loving, they weren't supposed to deliberately hurt you, just to see that crestfallen expression contort your face until it became a permanent facet. Danny only felt obligated to educate him. Even after the first hit, Tyler remained shocked. It hurt more when that shock soon melted into dreaded routine. He expected the hits, but he hadn't expected this. Danny hadn't ever….

Reid suddenly looked so small, curled up in the bathtub, the numbing shower head still spraying water above his head. Fat, ugly, purple bruises marred his body; his hips had finger shaped bruises so deep that it hurt every time he tried to move; his neck was just a mottle of bruises and red teeth marks. His lips were bruised, still swollen and bitten. The bruises were so fucking blatant - it was impossible to look at them and not come to the same conclusion. Rape. "Reid?" Silence. "Reid? Are you gonna be okay?" Stupid question but Tyler needed to hear his voice.

The tremor was present in his hesitant whisper. Reid's eyes remained closed, but he sighed louder than necessary, loud enough for Tyler to hear him over the water. "No," he mumbled. He heard the rustling of Tyler's clothes as the boy shifted closer, desperate to turn the sound of Reid's low rasp into coherent words. "I don't think I am."

"He won't do it again," Tyler promised, his fingers curled tightly around the edge of the tub as he leaned even closer. He removed a hand briefly to turn off the water, before seeking the support of the porcelain beneath his fingertips. "He won't touch you again," he murmured, his voice quieter.

"No," Reid agreed just as quietly. "He doesn't have to."

Tyler understood what Reid had yet to hint at. If Danny had merely hit him, he would have been alright with it, because he expected as much. He expected the physical pain in the bluntest way - skin against skin contact. A punch, a slap; pain that made him bite his cheek in an attempt to keep quiet - but familiar. Pain he could tuck away in his mind and ignore because there was already a draw labeled and ready in expectance of that pain. Rape was a different pain. Yes, it still hurt, but it was too different to fit in the drawer with the other pains. He hadn't expected it at all, he hadn't even conceived of such a notion, it'd always been so fucking improbable. The surprise was half the impact; it stabbed hungrily at him and left him speechless. He didn't know how to heal it, because a band-aid wouldn't ever do. The pain, despite his many bruises, was all inside of his head. He was still reeling. And he couldn't stop it, he couldn't make the spinning stop. It hurt too much to think about and yet he couldn't stop thinking about it. He had been raped. Reid Garwin had been raped. He had been helpless, writhing beneath another man. A man, up until two weeks ago, he hadn't even known. A stranger had managed to not just take advantage of him but dominate him.

"Reid." Tyler's voice cracked ever so slightly as he choked out a name he'd been uttering since he was seven. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to --"

"You don't have to," Reid interrupted softly. After all the progress Tyler had made with him after his father's sudden death, Reid had reverted back so abruptly. Not just reverted but changed direction all together. He was worst than he'd ever been, and Tyler wasn't sure if he could change that. How do you fix an object so completely shattered? Nothing else remained of Reid but dust, and Tyler wasn't sure if he could put the pieces back together. He wasn't sure if there even were pieces to put back together. What if Reid was just gone, too broken to ever work properly again? "You don't have to make it better, Tyler."

"But if I don't, then who will?" Tyler heard himself croak. He sounded pitiful, his voice shaking as if he were on the verge of tears. It seemed so meaningless now - stopping the tears that clogged the back of his throat. He didn't have to wear a stupid façade in front of this Reid. Broken Reid.

"I don't know if I can ever…." Reid stopped and swallowed hard. He could feel his throat moving rapidly against his bare knee. "I can't ever be…clean again, Tyler." The words sounded wrong and he was sure they didn't convey exactly what concerned him. But it was a step. The shower was to physically clean him of all that remained from Danny's attack, but it didn't help. He was still as dirty as ever and he hated this new dirt more than the old. He hated how his skin still felt different, wrong. He still felt him and he hated it. He couldn't own himself again until Danny relinquished his death grip on him.

"What?" Tyler murmured behind him. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," Reid hissed. Tyler was just as ignorant about rape as he was. They were both fourteen, the problem was too big for them. The problem was too big for anybody and they shouldn't have to deal with it. "I can't get him out of my head, Tyler. Before it was just a stupid game. As much as he hit me, I hit him back without even touching him. I pissed him off and I didn't have to hurt him. He hurt me everyday but he never pissed me off. He never…he never affected me before. And now…I can't make him stop." A pause as Reid burrowed his head further against his knees. "He isn't even here - he's not touching me or talking to me and I still can't get him out of my head. He won't shut up and he won't stop fucking touching me and --" the sob was so sudden that Tyler wasn't sure he heard it right.

Reid's body gave a violent shake, but he didn't even try to conceal the sobs. His arms tightened around his legs. Tyler pressed his hand against Reid's back but beyond that he didn't know what else to do. He hadn't ever had to comfort the boy, beyond his father's death. And even though Reid had been unbearably solemn then, the tears were all natural - brief and solitary. His father's death was a problem they both knew he could, and would have to, handle on his own. This…it was all just so fucking different. He didn't know how to offer conciliation. He knew he couldn't fix it but if not mend then what was he supposed to do?

Reid didn't flinch away and Tyler's finger twitched against his wet, bare back in an oddly comforting manner. The blonde sank against his outstretched hand and Tyler slowly rose into a crouch. He wrapped his arms around Reid, and pulled the boy against his chest, vaguely aware of his nudity. Tears mingled with the water soaking through Tyler's t-shirt but Tyler ignored it. He stroked the blonde hair, trying to remember exactly how his mother used to console him. He whispered broken promises, punctuated by his cracking voice, unsteady and sorrowful. Reid didn't believe any of the promises but he listened to them anyway.

"I'm sorry," Tyler muttered when he pulled away.

"Me too."

Silence.

"Tyler…?" Dulled blue eyes peered up at the still crouching Tyler from waterlogged blonde hair. His cheek was swollen and red. "I don't want to be…." He broke off as the thought finished in his head and he realized exactly what he was about to admit. "I can't go back to that room so can I…." Another sigh emitted from his mouth and he looked away.

"I won't leave you alone," Tyler promised, a soft, sad smile twisting his lips painfully. "I won't ever leave you alone again, Reid."

Reid nodded numbly against his knee. He let Tyler usher him out of the tub and remained inhumanly patient as the younger boy awkwardly dressed him. Despite the situation, not a single dirty joke fell from his abused lips. Without an uttered word, Reid sank beneath Tyler's heavy blankets and curled into a ball, hugging his knees once more to his chest, deliberately leaving enough room beside him for Tyler. He'd always left room for Tyler…

Even though he wasn't tired, Tyler laid beside Reid because the blonde needed him to. Reid needed the friendly warmth of another body beside him. Hesitantly, he curled up beside him, content with his arm firmly against Reid's back. Reid, however, didn't seem as content, because he turned around and moved closer to Tyler. His face, and still damp hair, pressed eagerly against Tyler's chest, and Tyler instinctively wound an arm around the shivering older boy, holding him closer. It took longer than usual for the blonde's breathing to even out and grow heavier, but Tyler waited. Because Tyler wasn't tired. His hand had tangled itself in Reid's hair more so out of instinct rather than comfort. And that's how he fell asleep, a hand buried in Reid's hair, with Reid's upper body dead weight on his chest, bony fists clenched in his t-shirt.


	6. Vindicated

A/N: I think this is the last chapter. But please review!

_I am flawed_

_But I am cleaning up so well_

_I am seeing in me now_

_The things you swore _

_you saw yourself_

_Like hope_

--

It'd been two weeks since…'the incident.' Reid still slept in Tyler's bed, curled up tightly beside the boy. Or, rather, Reid laid in Tyler's bed. Because he hadn't been sleeping often. The obsessive fear he took to his nightmares was unprecedented. He was absolutely terrified, but it was a silent terror that unnerved Tyler. A terror that forced Reid into silent submission Tyler didn't even know he was capable of.

Tyler sat, knees drawn to his chest, in the only arm chair in his bedroom. He sat there and watched Reid sleep. It'd been a while since he'd caught Reid sleeping, completely lost within himself, face blank and seemingly emotionless. Tyler knew that even though he couldn't see it on Reid's face, there was probably something going on behind closed doors. Just because he wasn't thrashing around and screaming bloody murder, it didn't mean that he wasn't still locked within a nightmare.

The time was drawing near. Reid's mother had called two days ago, informing her son that she had book a flight for Friday. She wanted to be there to see her son off to high school. Friday was in two days. School started on Monday. And Tyler realized that he didn't want Reid to go. He knew being trapped in the same house as Danny was killing Reid, but Tyler didn't want to be separated from him.

Reid shifted, his face scrunched up in pain and he rolled over, curling tighter into a ball. He shivered and tugged unconsciously at the blanket, pulling it tighter over himself. He was almost childish, burying his face in the soft, perfectly thick blanket, instead of the pillow mere inches from his head. The pillow remained ignored, forgotten and unused. The pillow had always been Tyler's, because Reid's head belong on Tyler's chest, or pressed against his arm. Without Tyler's relatively warm body beside Reid, his head merely fell against the mournfully nondescript blankets.

Tyler didn't want him to go. He liked sharing his bed with Reid. He liked the vice like grip Reid always seemed to have on him. His arm wound tightly around Tyler's waist, hand clenching and unclenching around an overly wrinkled section of his t-shirt. He liked feeling every movement Reid made, every time he shivered or shuddered, or sobbed. Tyler liked knowing that Reid didn't hide any of it - not from him. Reid hadn't torn himself open, but he still bared his soul for Tyler. He didn't push away, or deny it all. Danny had cut a massive hole into him, so deep he was terrified he wouldn't be able to find his way out again, and yet he stayed like that, and he let Tyler look into that hole whenever Tyler could.

Would they still be friends? After they returned to school, and civilization. Would Reid still think of him? Would he still need him? Or worst yet - want him? Tyler didn't want to think about it, but the question still nagged at him. He knew Reid would try to shove this issue away, the moment he left. Out of sight, out of mind, locked tightly away. But would he also shove Tyler away because Tyler would always be a reminder. It was a part of Tyler that had hurt him - when all he ever tried to do was help Tyler. The thought made Tyler want to cry. If Reid were to shove him away then who else would Tyler have? Who else is there aside from Reid? No one.

"Baby boy?" Reid's voice was weak, but Tyler jumped. He'd been watching him, yet he hadn't noticed Reid moving. Reid was staring at him now, completely awake as if he hadn't ever been asleep. And then Reid moved, he straightened up and shoved himself into a sitting position. The blanket that he'd been clinging to just minutes ago fell free and pooled at his waist. Tyler tried to look away. The bruises, although faded, were still vibrant against Reid's pale chest. Tyler could just make out the finger shaped bruises forever clutching his hips just above the blanket. "Are you crying?"

"What?" Tyler croaked. Hastily he scrubbed at his cheeks, willing the tears away. It's stupid to cry over spelt milk anyway, right?

"Tyler," Reid grunted, heaving himself out of the bed. Clad only in sweatpants, he padded across the room. "Why're you crying? Did _he _do something?" His voice was so soft, Tyler flinched at it.

He shook his head quickly. "No. I'm fine." He rubbed at his cheeks harder, mentally berating himself. He had nothing to cry about. He wasn't the one that got raped. And it was so completely his fault too. He shouldn't have exposed Reid to this…to all of it. Reid should have remained ignorant…ignorance would have been good this time. Safe.

"Hey." Reid, gentle if only for this moment, touched Tyler's face tentatively. That was the only way he touched anymore. Tentative, hesitant, reluctant. It was such a sudden change from who Reid used to be - abrasive, impulsive, domineering. Reid Garwin wasn't supposed to be gentle, he wasn't supposed to be soft or thoughtful. It wasn't who he was. And that single thought made Tyler sad. Because Reid had changed so drastically that he might as well be somebody else entirely. A completely different person. "You never talk to me anymore." His fingers, soft once more, fingered the tears moistening Tyler's cheeks.

Tyler scoffed, and couldn't stop the urge to cry anymore. That one statement made him sob harder. It made him turn away from Reid and curl tighter in on himself, burrowing his face deep within his knees. "Tyler?" The concern was apparent, so loud it hurt his ears and he tried to cover them with trembling hands. But his attempts were futile and he didn't really block out any sound. "I'm sorry. What did I do? Tyler?"

"No," Tyler moaned, his voice thick and unintelligible. His throat clogged with spit and that growing lump that always accompanied tears. "You didn't do anything. _I'm _sorry."

"Sorry?" Reid repeated, clearly confused. His hand lingered, outstretched in the air, not quite touching Tyler, not quite sure if it wanted to either. "But you didn't do anything. You don't need to be sorry…"

"Yes I do," Tyler argued, his voice strong and weak at the same time, muffled and yet so very loud against his shaking knees. "I have to be sorry. I can't not be sorry. Because it's all my fault. _I didn't do anything. _And it's all your fault. And if you didn't care so fucking much about me, he wouldn't have ruined you. He wouldn't have destroyed the only thing I fucking care about!" Tyler's head lifted, even though he didn't want to look at Reid. He was almost thankful that Reid was blurred from the tears, but the image still burned. He still wanted to look away, but he couldn't. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

Reid frowned, still confused. But Tyler's confession did something to him too, something they both knew Tyler hadn't wanted to do. "I'm sorry too," Reid confessed, his own voice thick and hoarse. He lurched forward, and threw himself at Tyler, pulling the sobbing child almost roughly into a hug and half way off the chair. "I'm sorry I made you cry," he mumbled, his words lost within Tyler's hair, and found there too. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him from hurting you."

Tyler buried his head in Reid's shoulder, his own tears rubbing off on Reid's bare skin but neither boy noticed. "I'm scared, Reid."

"I know," Reid mumbled. "I'm scared too."

"I don't want you to forget about me," Tyler elaborated. "When you leave for high school. I don't want you to forget about me."

"I won't," Reid vowed. "I won't forget." He pulled away, and scrubbed at Tyler's face, wiping away the tears even though Tyler hadn't stopped crying. "I won't forget, because I'm taking you with me. I won't forget because I won't leave you here. Not with Danny. Not alone."

"It shouldn't be your responsibility," Tyler said. He didn't stop Reid from wiping away his tears, or cupping his face once he was done, so very close together as if they feared what would happen once they'd separated.

"Yeah huh," Reid argued, his voice soft and agreeable. "If it weren't then what would make us friends? What friend would I be if I left you alone like this? You fucking need me…"

"I shouldn't need you," Tyler muttered begrudgingly. His own hands, smaller, gripped almost desperately at Reid's arms.

"Friends need each other," Reid informed Tyler. "Even when they don't, they do. You need me. And I need you. And that's why we won't forget each other. Agreed?"

"Agreed."


End file.
